


Ruatha's Treasures

by silveradept



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Moreta Lives, Bisexual Nerilka, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveradept/pseuds/silveradept
Summary: After she's taken a nap and cleared her head from all the serum delivery, Moreta sets her sights on bringing another of Ruatha's treasures into the Fort Weyr family.
Relationships: Alessan/Moreta (Dragonriders Of Pern), Alessan/Moreta/Nerilka (Dragonriders of Pern), Alessan/Nerilka (Dragonriders of Pern)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27
Collections: Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!





	Ruatha's Treasures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/gifts).



"One last jump, that's all we have to take, Holth."

"Begging your pardon, my lady," said the cotholder she had just delivered the last of the serum to, "but you look like you've been trampled by draybeasts and dragged under the cart following them."

Moreta looked down at the cotholder for a moment, which was long enough for the entire day that she had been repeating to catch up with her. She slumped back against Holth's neck ridges.

"I have a bed you could use, my lady, if you like," the holder said.

"I will," Moreta said. "Let's have a rest, shall we, Holth?"

Having rested fully before jumping back one more time, Moreta was glad to be reunited with Orlith on the hatching sands.

 _There is news_ , Orlith told her. _The missing daughter has been found with the man you laid with on your trip to get needlethorn._

Nesso came barreling in almost immediately after to confirm that Lady Nerilka had been found at Ruatha, disguised as a drudge helping the Healers develop the vaccination. Lord Tolocamp had disowned her almost immediately afterward and his concubine—Lady Anella, Moreta corrected herself—publicly said shameful things about her.

"I wonder what Lord Alessan will do with her," Moreta said, smiling. "A woman that brave and smart would be quite a catch for anyone who could have her."

"With no prospects, it would be an even bigger scandal," Nesso said, her disapproval apparent in every word.

Moreta's smile broadened. "Then maybe I should bring her back for Orlith's clutch. She would make an excellent candidate."

"My lady!" Nesso nearly shrieked. "What are you thinking?"

Moreta turned to Orlith, hiding her glee by scratching Orlith's eye ridges. It would be good to see them both again.

Leri, it turned out, was willing to loan Holth again to Moreta, but only after Moreta had been suitably chastened for all of the risks she had taken in delivering the serum.

"You could have been lost _between_ forever!" Leri scolded Moreta at the end. "Now, go and have your fun and come right back," she added, dismissing Moreta with a wave of her hand.

 _Did you tell Leri everything?_ Moreta asked Holth as she settled in on her neck.

 _Yes_ , Holth replied. _Why would I not?_

Moreta laughed. She hadn't asked Holth to keep it a secret, and even then, Leri would have likely found out at some point. Dragons shared everything with their riders anyway.

The cold of _between_ was short for them, and soon Moreta was sliding off of Holth to greet Alessan and Nerilka with a full embrace that lasted far longer than formality would have allowed for either of them.

"What brings you to Ruatha, my lady?" Alessan asked her when all three had retired to his office.

"Do you intend to espouse Lady Nerilka?" Moreta demanded.

"Rill," Nerilka said quietly. "Lady Nerilka no longer exists, according to Lord Tolocamp."

Moreta made a rude noise at the mention of the Lord Holder of Fort.

"When Masterharper Tirone is done writing the song of what we have done here, Lord Tolocamp will ether be reviled or ridiculed," she said. "So if that was stopping you from accepting, understand that more shame will come to him than would ever come to you from this."

"And what designs do _you_ have for Lady Nerilka?" Alessan asked. "I doubt you would visit in person merely to offer congratulations on surviving."

"If you don't want her for yourself, I intend to take her back with me and put her in front of Orlith's queen egg," Moreta said. "A strong and clever girl would be perfect to turn into a Weyrwoman worthy of the title."

Alessan sat in silence, thinking, before finally responding, "Would you take all of my newfound happiness away from me?" At Moreta's obvious confusion, Alessan continued. "One of Fort's blue riders has been by twice recently, and both times, his dragon has been extraordinarily interested in Oklina. I was beginning to accept that idea that my sister might enjoy the life I was denied, but to lose Nerilka to the Weyr as well would be too much. I fear I would despair of living again."

"You could come and stand as well," Moreta said. "K'dan Impressed Lurenth long after he was of age to be a candidate."

"K'dan Impressed Lurenth because Weyrwoman Fiona would not accept that one of her lovers did not also have a dragon befitting his importance to her," Alessan retorted, smiling for a brief moment before turning somber again. "I can't leave Ruatha like this. We have lost so much that restoring this Hold will take until my sons' sons are dead."

"And you, Lady Nerilka?"

"My place is here with Lord Alessan. And our children, however many they will be."

Moreta made a show of scowling and acting affronted. "Will all of Ruatha's treasures be denied to me?" she pouted.

"Not all," Alessan said, smiling again. "My sister will happily fly away with you and, most likely, Impress, when the time comes. She is entirely enamored with the glorious lifestyle and great freedom accorded to the Weyrwoman."

Moreta nearly spat out her drink. "Then someone has been filling her head with tales," she said, looking at Alessan. "Probably B'lerion."

"There is one thing to address," Nerilka said, drawing both of their attention to her. "Do you intend to keep tumbling my Lord Alessan, Weyrwoman?" 

Moreta set her goblet down evenly, studying Nerilka intently. There had been no waver nor flash of anger in her voice, nor any attempt at hastily concealing her true emotions to present the idea of a merely curious question. Alessan looked like someone had just informed him his entire cellar's worth of Benden white had been stolen, so they had not discussed this question before her arrival.

"Will it be a problem if I do?" Moreta asked.

"My Lord Alessan, like any other Lord, is free to spend his affection where he will," Nerilka said, "so long as he provides an heir to succeed him in his Lordship. Some other Lords I have known show far worse judgment than taking a Weyrwoman as a lover."

Moreta could not help but smile at the way Nerilka ensured everyone knew about which Lord she spoke.

"I would ask that if you continue to pursue your affections, my Lord Alessan, that you tell me when you are renewing your acquaintances so that I may either be doing other duties or…" Nerilka paused, gathering a breath to settle herself, "participate as best I am able."

Alessan nearly dropped his cup in surprise.

"Lady Suriana's friendship was something I treasured deeply," Nerilka continued. "I could never gather the courage to tell her that I wanted her to draw me more intimately, no matter how many times I told her she was a beautiful woman. I know I am plain, and I have accepted that you will always look to others to find beauty and ardor, but—"

Alessan sighed heavily, stopping Nerilka from continuing. "Rill," he said, "you are not plain." Nerilka gave Alessan an amused look. Alessan turned his head to Moreta, a wry look on his face. "Help me, Weyrwoman. She may believe you."

Moreta studied Nerilka again. Tolocamp (and there was a delightful little thrill at the omission of his title) had been complaining for years at Gathers that he had been cursed with unattractive daughters. Compared to other women on the attributes she had overheard many of the dragonriders talking about as essential, Nerilka would lose, certainly. Nerillka, though, was built like a dragonrider should be: tall, well-muscled, and sharp-eyed.

"I find no objections to you, Lady Nerilka," Moreta said. "I think I will find even fewer after Orlith hatches her clutch and we can all retire to my Weyr to celebrate."

 _Leri requests your return,_ Holth told her. _She believes you have had sufficient time to enjoy your lover again._

"I am sorry, Lord Alessan," Moreta said, sighing dramatically, "but I am still riding a borrowed dragon, and her rider requests my return."

"Of course, Weyrwoman," Alessan said, hiding his amusement. "Please give my regards to Leri."

"I will," Moreta replied, standing. "I look forward to making your acquaintance more intimately, Lady Nerilka."

Lady Nerilka looked embarrassed for a second, but hid it quickly as she rose to see Moreta out.

 _Tell Leri that I am on my way back, and that I will be much happier when I have my own dragon again_ , Moreta told Holth as she settled into place.

_She agrees with you, that she will be happy when you have your own dragon again._

Moreta laughed as Holth took off into the air, before making the jump _between_ back to Fort. Soon enouguh, Orlith's eggs would hatch, and then all of their lives would be changed for the better.


End file.
